N-M Chapter 185 You're practicing the Joyful Buddha, aren't you?
Chapter 185 You're practicing the Joyful Buddha, aren't you?
When Su Yaoyao woke up, it was already broad daylight.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a warm, golden glow on the floor. She groggily turned over, wanting to snuggle into that familiar embrace—
Pounced empty.
She opened her eyes; the seat next to her was empty, and the blankets still held warmth.
"Your Highness?" she called out.
No one answered.
Su Yaoyao propped herself up, rubbed her eyes, and looked around.
Then she saw Xiao Chenyuan sitting behind his desk by the window, holding a folding book in his hand, looking down at it.
Sunlight fell on him; he wore a moon-white robe, his features were cool and aloof, and his profile was as beautiful as a painting.
Su Yaoyao lay on the quilt, propping her chin up as she looked at him.
Even though they see each other every day and have done everything intimately, they still can't help but sigh.
This person is so good-looking!
As she was looking, Xiao Chenyuan suddenly looked up.
Eyes facing each other.
"Awake?" He put down the folding book, got up and walked over.
Su Yaoyao blinked and smiled at him.
"When did Your Highness get up?"
"At dawn." Xiao Chenyuan sat down by the bed, reaching out to touch her lips. "Is it still sour?"
Su Yaoyao was taken aback.
She immediately realized what he meant, and her face flushed slightly.
"...Much better."
Xiao Chenyuan looked at her and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Where are your hands?"
Su Yaoyao stretched her hand out from under the covers and waved it in front of him.
"That's settled then."
Xiao Chenyuan took her hand and kissed it.
"Then tonight..."
"No!" Su Yaoyao pulled her hand back, shrinking into the blankets, leaving only her eyes showing.
"Tonight I want to sleep! Just sleep!"
Xiao Chenyuan chuckled softly.
"I haven't finished speaking yet."
"You don't need to finish!" Su Yaoyao glared at him. "Nothing His Highness says is allowed!"
Seeing her looking so alarmed, Xiao Chenyuan's smile deepened.
He leaned down and hugged her, blanket and all, through the covers.
"Graceful".
Su Yaoyao let out a muffled "hmm" from under the covers.
"Am I that scary?"
Su Yaoyao thought for a moment, then poked half her face out from under the covers.
"It's not scary," she said. "What's scary is Your Highness's...that..."
Before she could finish speaking, her face turned red again.
Xiao Chenyuan raised an eyebrow.
"That...what?"
Su Yaoyao buried her face back.
"Uh... stamina! Stamina, okay?"
Xiao Chenyuan was stunned for a moment, then smiled.
The laughter was low, carrying a hint of languid satisfaction, which made Su Yaoyao's heart skip a beat.
"Yaoyao." He patted her through the blanket. "Come out, it's time for breakfast."
"I won't eat it."
"If you don't eat, we'll continue what we did last night."
Su Yaoyao popped out with a "whoosh".
"eat!"
Xiao Chenyuan, do you remember that you used to practice Buddhism?
You're practicing the Joyful Buddha, aren't you?
---
Breakfast was laid out in the outer room, a table full of food.
Su Yaoyao sat down, her eyes lighting up as she looked at the exquisite pastries.
Crystal shrimp dumplings, crab roe siu mai, osmanthus cake, red date soup—all her favorite foods.
She picked up her chopsticks, about to start eating, when she suddenly remembered something.
"Has Your Highness eaten?"
Xiao Chenyuan sat down opposite her.
"Wait for you."
Su Yaoyao smiled, picked up a shrimp dumpling, and held it to his mouth.
"Then Your Highness will eat first."
Xiao Chenyuan opened his mouth and took a bite.
Su Yaoyao ate the remaining half from the spot where he had bitten it.
The two of them ate breakfast for half an hour, taking turns eating bites.
Chun Tao served them from the side, watching the two of them being so affectionate, and silently lowered her head.
I can't bear to look, I really can't bear to look.
---
After finishing his breakfast, Xiao Chenyuan continued to proofread commemorative documents.
Su Yaoyao nestled beside him, flipping through a storybook.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, warm and comforting, making one feel drowsy.
Su Yaoyao yawned and leaned on Xiao Chenyuan's shoulder.
Su Yaoyao felt like she had finally come back to life.
My back doesn't ache anymore, my legs don't hurt anymore, and I don't need to hold onto the wall when I walk.
She leaned against Xiao Chenyuan's chest, happily sipping her bird's nest porridge, and sighed, "It's so good to be alive."
Xiao Chenyuan looked down at her, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"It's all thanks to me."
Su Yaoyao glared at him.
"Your Highness, could you please stop taking all the credit for yourself?"
Xiao Chenyuan raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't that right?"
Su Yaoyao choked.
Okay, it seems so.
That "antidote" was indeed him...
Her face flushed, and she buried her head to continue drinking her porridge.
Just then, a report came from outside.
"Your Highness, Crown Princess, Her Majesty the Empress has sent someone."
The two exchanged a glance.
Su Yaoyao put down the bowl and straightened her clothes.
The visitor was a kind-looking old woman, who bowed respectfully.
"Greetings to His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Crown Princess. Her Majesty the Empress has sent this old servant to convey a message—His Highness and His Highness the Crown Princess are newly married and should be visiting the palace to pay their respects, but His Majesty is unwell, and Her Majesty is currently attending to him and is unable to attend. Her Majesty has said that it will be better to invite the Crown Princess to the palace once His Majesty has recovered. In the meantime, the Crown Princess should take good care of herself."
Su Yaoyao breathed a sigh of relief.
No need to pay respects?
Good thing!
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty." She smiled sweetly, "I will remember it."
The old woman said a few more auspicious words and then took her leave.
After everyone left, Su Yaoyao leaned back into Xiao Chenyuan's arms.
"Your Highness," she asked, "what about the Empress Dowager?"
Xiao Chenyuan looked down at her.
"She's been busy lately."
Su Yaoyao raised an eyebrow.
"What has Your Highness done this time?"
Xiao Chenyuan's lips curled up slightly.
"I sent Heqing to Jiangnan."
Su Yaoyao was taken aback.
"Jiangnan?" She blinked. "What are you going there for?"
As soon as she spoke, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
"No—" she sat up straight, "The Shen family of Jiangnan!"
A hint of admiration flashed in Xiao Chenyuan's eyes.
"clever."
The Shen family of Jiangnan—the maternal family of the Empress Yuan, the nominal maternal grandparents of Xiao Chenyuan, and also the kinship family of Shen Qinghe, whom the Empress Dowager brought back this time.
Su Yaoyao became interested and sat up straight.
"Your Highness, please tell me quickly, what happened?"
Xiao Chenyuan put his arm around her and said slowly.
"The fact that the Shen family was able to produce an empress back then was largely due to the Empress Dowager's encouragement. Over the years, they have been the Empress Dowager's money bag behind the scenes."
Su Yaoyao nodded.
"So His Highness sent He Qing..."
"Cut off her source of income," Xiao Chenyuan said. "I can't openly touch the Shen family, after all, they're my maternal grandparents' family. But that doesn't mean—"
He paused.
"Mr. Deer won't do."
Su Yaoyao's eyes widened.
In Jiangnan, He Qing had been operating under the guise of Mr. Lu for many years, with extensive business routes and deep connections. Sending him to deal with the Shen family was a perfect match.
"Your Highness's move..." she couldn't help but laugh, "So cunning."
Xiao Chenyuan raised an eyebrow.
"damage?"
"I'm praising you." Su Yaoyao leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Your Highness is so clever."
But then she thought about it again and suddenly narrowed her eyes.
"But speaking of which—" she poked his chest, "Your Highness, why did you have to transfer He Qing away at this crucial moment? You…"
She moved closer to him,
"What are their true intentions?"
Xiao Chenyuan remained expressionless.
"What are your intentions?"
Su Yaoyao poked his chest.
"Your Highness knows the answer."
Xiao Chenyuan took her hand.
"I don't know," he said, looking completely innocent. "May I ask, madam?"
Su Yaoyao glared at him.
This guy is faking it!
She was clearly jealous and didn't want Heqing to stay in the capital and get in her way!
Xiao Chenyuan smiled when he saw her adorable expression.
"Yaoyao," he whispered in her ear, lowering his head, "I'm jealous. What is it?"
Su Yaoyao blushed.
How can this person admit it so confidently!
Xiao Chenyuan continued, "I don't like the way he looks at you."
Su Yaoyao poked him.
"Someone saved my life."
"I know," Xiao Chenyuan nodded. "That's why I only transferred him away; I didn't do anything to him."
Su Yaoyao: "..."
Ok.
That's already very kind.
She leaned back into his arms and sighed.
"When will Your Highness's jealousy subside?"
Xiao Chenyuan looked down at her.
"It's not small."
Su Yaoyao: "..."
Fine.
---
The two were just getting intimate when someone else came in from outside.
This time it's from the Grand Tutor's residence.
The person who came was Madam Jiang's head maid, who handed over the invitation with a smile.
"Greetings to His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Crown Princess. The Old Madam sent me to deliver a message—tomorrow is the day the Crown Princess returns to her parents' home. The Marquis said he will be waiting for you both at the Grand Tutor's residence."
Su Yaoyao accepted the invitation, feeling a warmth in her heart.
Returning to one's parents' home.
A married daughter returns to her parents' home.
Her brother was waiting for her at the Grand Tutor's residence.
She couldn't help but laugh when she thought of Su Qingrun's cold face and the way he was dragged away by Anar.
"Okay," she said. "We'll arrive first thing tomorrow morning."
The maidservant smiled and withdrew.
Xiao Chenyuan looked at her.
"What are you laughing at?"
Su Yaoyao leaned back into his arms.
"Laugh at my brother," she said. "I wonder what Anar has done to him these past few days."
Xiao Chenyuan raised an eyebrow.
"You want to go see what's going on?"
Su Yaoyao's eyes lit up.
"Your Highness doesn't want to see?"
Xiao Chenyuan thought about Su Qingrun's lifeless face and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"……think."
Tomorrow will be another busy day.